Speaking English in Sweden (2009, homes, schools)

[Iodine1949]

I'm visiting Sweden summer 2009 and I only speak English, will this be a problem? I'm visiting family and they assure me most (really??) Swedes speak English. Are they just telling me this so I'll be sure and visit? Are the children taught English in grade school?

Are there many Swedes interested in metaphysical types of things?

I'm really excited about my trip but I've never been out of the U.S. before except to Canada. Plus I hate to fly.

[azoria]

The closest I can get is Finland. Everybody in Finland spoke English, I would assume Sweden to be much the same. Very well educated people.

[BigSwede]

All of us learn english from the age of 9.
Most people speak english well and you won´t have any trouble whether you´re having a conversation or just asks for direction.
You will also find that many younger swedes try to speak with an amercian accent.

Welcome to Sweden!

[Tama]

The Swedes speak English better than many Americans! You will not have a problem.

[Sweden]

Pretty much everyone in Sweden speaks English. It is just to different degrees. Thing is that you cannot graduate elementaryschool without having a basic knowledge of English (unlike countries such as France and Spain. Good thing we have to learn a third language too, otherwise the "Euro-trip" I am on now would have been very difficult...)

As for interest in metaphysical types of things... Yes, I believe (in my experience) that many Swedes are interested in this. Problem might be though to get them to discuss it in English. 1. Many are shy, and 2. Discussing the meaning of life in English... can be a bit hard

(Sorry about my typings, I am currently in Madrid and have never before experienced this kind of heat)

[charolastra00]

I'm in Iceland now and yes- everyone speaks English. I'd assume it would be similar to the Swedes (and the Swedish tourists I've met have generally had a much milder accent on the whole). Most TV is in English so that's how many people learn. Heck- in Iceland the kids in my homestay spoke very good English for never having taken an English class (starts at age 10 here and they were 7 and 9) due to having English TV programs.

Don't worry. I tend to use Simple English and talk a bit more with my hands, but I don't think that's even necessary most of the time. It would be appropriate to learn "Excuse me, do you speak English?" in Swedish though, just to be polite.

[internat]

Someone mentioned Finland. Finns do not speak as good English as Scandinavians. I think it also has to do with their language being Finno-Ugric, as opposed to the Indo-European languages spoken in most of Europe. The exceptions are Finnish, Estonian, Saami, Hungarian and Basque.

I believe nowadays English is taught in schools from the first grade. Most young people in Sweden speak basic to intermediate level English. Very few individuals are fluent. Swedes often understand their level of English is not as good as they thought when they actually have to speak with a British or American tourists.

As with many other small anglicised European countries tv programmes are subtitled instead of dubbed which is the case in France and Germany. Most individuals speak English with a sing-songy intonation. Thinking of a more extreme version of what you would hear in rural Minnesota or Welsh. Some younger ("MTV generation") people in Sweden try to emulate an American accent whereas in most parts of the world educated individuals (perhaps more in the developing countries) aspire to speak Received Pronunciation.

Among non-native speakers of the English in Europe, I think the Dutch are number one. It's understandable considering the geographical - and lingiustic (of Ingvaeonic languages) proximity between Netherlands to England. There's also a historical cause from the invasion of the Anglo-Saxons of England, to mutual interests and trading, and competition of resources through colonisation of the world.

You should be fine in Sweden. People in more densely populated southern Sweden and larger cities will obviously speak better English than the rural and less international north. I recommend you speak English rather than making an attempt to speaking a few sentences of Swedish which is not always as appreciated if you can also pass for one of the immigrant minority groups.

Like someone wrote earlier, Swedes are rather reserved, I would add punctual and law-abiding citizens. Americans tend to be more extroverted and direct. I would say Swedes are the most serious looking Scandinavians. Strangers make an effort to not make eye contact in public. In U.S it's common to talk with strangers looking your way. It does happen in Sweden as well. It's rare though. People may think there's something mentally wrong with you unless you begin a conversation on the (usually something negative) bad weather or ask for the time. Swedes, like the Brits, loosen up with alcohol. During the day Swedes also have a word for socialising in a cafeteria. It's called "fika". Sweden also lack the "dating culture" of USA. Read a funny article on this matter on http://www.thelocal.se/8903/20080614/

You can of course find Swedes who enjoy partaking in intellectual conversations. It depends on the scene. http://tv.axess.se/ is a good start for intellectual debates on social and cultural matters from a Swedish perspective.

[InkedParrot]

Originally Posted by Tama

The Swedes speak English better than many Americans! You will not have a problem.

I have heard this from many people.

[bluepacific]

Originally Posted by Tama

The Swedes speak English better than many Americans! You will not have a problem.

Yeah, you ought to hear them sing, "Svenskland Uber Alles" in english. It's a little spooky

[internat]

I don't understand the reference to the German national anthem Deutschlandlied.

Originally Posted by bluepacific

Yeah, you ought to hear them sing, "Svenskland Uber Alles" in english. It's a little spooky